Trey wrapped himself around Eva and brought her to the ground as a salvo of fire spells streaked over them. An assault team of five mages emerged from the treeline, pinning the trio of hikers against the base of the cliff.


    “Viessa,” he shouted. “Run for help. They’re after Eva.”


    Viessa looked at him with a blank stare before processing his instructions. Finally understanding the situation, she pivoted and propelled herself forward. Threading the gap between two attacking mages, she triggered a light spell, giving her an extra burst of speed to rush past them. She disappeared down the trail, racing back to the hamlet unscathed. Trey let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, relieved to see that his judgment had been sound; most of the magical attacks remained directed at the older elf left behind.


    Trey did his best to deflect the incoming spells as Eva pulled a meager amount of water from the ground, shaped it into an ice disc, and hurled it at the nearest assailant. A jet of flames blocked the trajectory, disintegrating it in a burst of scalding water.


    Eva narrowly dodged a fire ball and scampered behind Trey. “Get me back to the river!” she commanded, her voice laced with determination, though he could hear an underlying tremor of fear she was desperately trying to suppress.


    Leading with his shield, Trey charged back down the trail with the elf in his shadow. The fire mage standing in their way jumped to the side and flicked his wand at them, but Trey’s sword lashed out and struck him in the wrist before any magic could be cast.


    Trey twirled around to cover Eva’s back as they sprinted down the path, the attackers relentlessly casting spells in an effort to bring them down. He managed to deflect several incoming projectiles, but then a fire bolt struck his shoulder, searing through his armor. Pain radiated through him as he winced, the heat biting into his skin. His instincts kicked in as he spotted a Shadow Missile hurtling toward him. He swiftly adjusted his stance to evade it, trying to maintain his pace alongside Eva. Just then, two fire spells roared toward him, and with no time to deflect both, he braced himself for the impending impact.


    A rush of water surged past him, intercepting the fire magic with a hiss of angry steam. Trey stole a glimpse over his shoulder, the crescendo of rushing water guiding his senses before his eyes confirmed it: they had reached the river.


    Even with Eva’s access to the abundance of flowing water, Trey still recognized they were outnumbered. Four out of the five opponents were fire mages with the last one spewing out dark magic. He recognized Aribelle leading the group, her head defended by an onyx-steel crown.


    At least the others don’t have Mindguards, Trey thought, counting the small victories.


    The spells came flying in as the attackers fanned out.


    “Eva, cross the river,” Trey demanded. “I’ll hold them off.”


    His elven companion scoffed. “There’s nothing on the other side that will help me escape, and you’re stupid if you think I’m leaving you here alone.”


    “I’m not alone,” he shot back with a grin despite the fury of magic bombarding his shield. “I’ve got some fire mages to keep me company. I don’t know why they invited the dark mage, though. They always ruin the party.”


    Eva did not laugh at his humor. Instead, she demonstrated her stubbornness by marching up to his side, pulling a massive wave of water across the ground behind her. Together, they faced off against enemies spread out in front of them. Trey, however, lacked viable options to go on the offensive. He felt it irresponsible and risky to leave Eva’s side to chase down a mage, and he wasn’t quite ready to break out his hidden talents. Eva was holding her own against the onslaught of fire magic, but she, too, was struggling to launch any meaningful counterattacks.


    Trey failed to fully deflect a dark magic spell, catching just a fraction of the effects. He felt his limbs weaken and his vision fell out of focus for a moment. He heard a pained yelp come from behind him during his moment of vulnerability. Smashing through a fire bolt with the shield, he regained focus while he recovered his strength. He took a moment to evaluate his elven ally, who was dousing her charred right leg with water.


    A flare in the corner of his eye jolted him into action. “Watch out!” he warned, pushing her out of the way of the fireball that sizzled by both their heads.


    “Trey,” Eva said, a hint of desperation in her voice. “You do whatever you need to do to get us out of here. I swear on the Archmage’s name I will keep your secrets.”


    Trey’s jaw clenched. He wasn’t really sure he had the liberty of holding back for much longer anyway. He focused on the nearest fire mage, sending a command to toss him his wand. His mental effort was met with too much resistance, and the enemy tossed him another fireball instead.


    Trying a different approach, Trey latched on to his enemy’s intent to destroy him. He sent another command, suggesting that the mage should use his wand as a throwing dagger and go for a kill shot, subconsciously trying to convince him that was a more efficient way to eliminate the guardian. A headache began to form as Trey streamed more mind magic into his target’s mind. Finally, the fire mage growled as reeled and chucked his wand as hard as he could, aiming for Trey’s throat.


    Expecting the throw, Trey snatched the twirling wand out of the air and swiftly gripped it. With the snap of his wrist, he blasted the confused assailant with fire magic. The screaming mage stumbled backward, his limbs flailing around as the flames consumed him. One last sentence escaped his mouth before Trey silenced him for good with another spell. “He’s a mind mage!”


    The words echoed off the cliff walls, returning to the skirmish with a haunting psychological impact. Any momentum that the enemy had built up with their initial ambush evaporated. No longer restrained by the need for subterfuge, Trey began scanning the minds of the combatants. He found what he was looking for in the dark mage. He latched on to the doubt swirling in his enemy’s head: why does she have a Mindguard and I don’t?


    With some manipulation, he evolved that thought into: I should be the one to have the Mindguard.


    Reinforcing that belief with mind magic, Trey focused as he pushed it one step further: I’m going to take the Mindguard.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Trey was encouraged when he saw his efforts bear fruit. The dark mage turned and launched a Shadow Missile at his leader.


    “Kalred! What are you doing?” Aribelle exclaimed, trying to counter the new threat. “Fucking mind mage! Snap out of it, Kalred!” With the swipe of her wand, she sent a Pyroclasm spell at the mind-controlled defector.


    With the fight heating up between the dark mage and Aribelle, the mind magic became less strenuous. Trey wasted no time celebrating the temporary balancing of the battlefield odds. He continued streaming his magic into the dark mage while turning to one of the other mages.


    Unleashing a series of spells, Trey dueled against another fire mage while carefully maintaining a mental connection to the dark mage. Fire magic flew back and forth, with Trey slowly gaining the advantage. Relief began to wash over him as he immediately realized his foes were not as well trained as the trio of opponents he fought against in Koljun. With Aribelle preoccupied, victory was in sight.


    Trey and his water mage ally turned on the next nearest fire mage while the professor-turned-fugitive quelled the rebellion within her ranks in the background. With Eva pelting their target with ice, it wasn’t much of a challenge for Trey to gain the upper hand. With the twirl from his stolen wand, he unleashed an Infernal Vortex, engulfing his unfortunate opponent in a torrent of flames.


    After defeating Kalred, Aribelle assessed the battlefield with a dissatisfied expression. Amongst the numerous scorch marks marring nearly every tree trunk, her fallen minions littered the landscape. Extending her arm, an outburst of fire magic spewed from her wand, razing the lush ground in front of her. A ferocious wall of flames roared upward toward the canopy. When the magic-fueled inferno finally died down, only an empty forest was left behind. The last remaining attacker had fled.


    A muted sob broke Trey’s concentration, drawing his attention over to Eva. He saw the elf take a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Checking his surroundings one last time, he reached his arms out, offering her his embrace.


    “Thank you,” Eva said, hugging him tightly. “You saved us.”


    “You did great,” Trey said, feeling the elf still shaking in his arms. “You didn’t panic and your water magic is exactly what we needed against those fire mages. Let’s not make it a habit, but I’ll fight alongside you anytime.”


    A weak chuckle escaped the emotional elf. “Why were they out here? Why me?”


    “If I had to guess,” Trey replied, “they identified you as a close ally to the Grand Oracle and a valuable healer. Eliminating you would weaken Windrake’s defenses, which makes me believe there’s a larger plan in motion. We should head back.”


    “How are you so calm?” she questioned. “Is this normal for you?”


    “No,” he responded, shaking his head. “It wasn’t too long ago when I was in your position.” A memory of a dwarf lunging at him flashed in his mind.


    “You dominated that fight,” she said, scanning the area through her teary eyes. “They were terrified of you at the end.”


    “Yeah,” Trey said, his eyes darting nervously over to where the last opponent had fled. “I wish I could have stopped Aribelle Forswick from escaping. Not only is she dangerous, but now my secret is out.”


    Eva’s eyes widened. “I promise I’ll do my best to protect your identity, but the Grand Oracle is already suspicious of you. He’s planning on interrogating you himself if I come back empty.”


    Trey sighed. “It’s okay. I’ll figure something out. I’m glad I was able to get you through that mess safely.”


    She playfully slapped his shoulder, sending a wave of pain through his body. “You’re a fire mage, too! I thought I saw something in the capture-the-flag match. I can’t believe you’ve been hiding that as well.” She paused, noticing his wince. Then her eyes locked onto his shoulder. “Trey! You need to start telling me things!”


    She dragged him over to the river and started using her healing magic on him.


    As he enjoyed the soothing sensation coating his shoulder, a question surfaced in his head. A question he had been curious about for some time. “Why haven’t you told him?”


    “Huh?”


    “The Grand Oracle,” he clarified. “Why haven’t you told him about me?”


    “You did an unnervingly good job of placing doubts in my mind,” she admitted. “I was never certain you were a mind mage. I thought about disclosing my suspicions several times, but… You have to understand, once he finds out, everything will change for you. I had to be sure.”


    “What do you think he will—”


    “Eva!” a voice carried through the trees, interrupting their conversation.


    Eva’s head snapped to attention. “Is that Viessa? Viessa!”


    “Eva!”


    After a moment of shouting back and forth, Viessa came running down the trail, followed by an armed escort of eight elves.


    “Eva,” the younger sister cried. “You’re alive!” She leapt into Eva’s arms. After a moment, Viessa pulled back. She blinked as she surveyed the scene around her. “Who killed all the mages?”


    The sisterly reunion was cut short, however, when one of the escorting guards stepped forward. “Eva,” he said with a sense of urgency, “you are needed back at Windrake Academy. Immediately. Come with us.”


    A confused expression crossed her face. “Immediately? Why?”


    “The Grand Oracle has been poisoned.”


    ***


    Somewhere in Greshelm…


    A group was assembled in a large, dark chamber. A dozen individuals were seated at a long table with several others lined up along the walls. There was no warning when the door burst open, alarming everyone in the chamber. A man, who had been sitting at the head of the table before the abrupt disturbance, lowered his wand and relaxed his stance as soon as he recognized the intruder. “A bit dramatic, don’t you think, Aribelle?” He raised an eyebrow upon seeing her disgruntled frown. “I’m hoping everything went well?”


    To the man’s dismay, the weary fire mage shook her head. “The healer lives, Harold.”


    Harold frowned. “Kalred and the others?”


    “Dead,” she replied solemnly as she stepped further into the room, approaching the edge of the table. “Marvin’s bodyguard was there. You remember the fire mage disguised as a null guardian?” Harold barely had time to nod before . “He’s also a mind mage.”


    The revelation sent a tremor of unease through the dark chamber. Every occupant was paying close attention to the conversation.


    “Did you hear that, my lord?” Harold asked.


    “Yes,” a voice called out, commanding the room. “Do you know who this guardian is?”


    “No,” Harold answered while shooting Aribelle a questioning look. She silently shook her head. “Koljun was the first time we encountered him.”


    “Hmm, where’s Grimstone? I must consult with him.”


    “He should be arriving shortly,” Harold answered. “The city has been more difficult to get into the past couple of days.” With a frown, he looked up at Aribelle. “How did you get back so fast?”


    “I snuck in through the southern teleport with a group of ladies traveling to the theater,” she answered. “There’s no need to worry. No one saw me.”


    Harold snorted. “We can’t afford to make mistakes that would compromise our resurgence.”


    “Is the other healer dead?” the voice interrupted.


    “Yes,” replied Harold. “The Draken Squad took him out late last night. I suppose we should have sent them to Heavenfalls with Aribelle.”


    “What’s done is done. The plan moves forward regardless. Fortune favors the bold, and we risk discovery every second we delay. Darius, our fate is in your hands now. Fulfill your destiny.”


    A blond, well-dressed man sitting in the background sat up a little straighter. “It will be my honor to serve you, my lord.”